China has announced a new package of incentives aimed at Taiwan after a rare and controversial visit by a senior Taiwanese opposition leader to Beijing. Cheng Li-wun of Taiwan’s Kuomintang party met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in a high profile meeting that marked a first in nearly a decade.

Following the visit, Beijing unveiled a series of measures designed to boost ties. These include restoring direct flights between Taiwan and multiple mainland Chinese cities, easing restrictions on Taiwanese agricultural and fishery imports, and reopening channels for tourism.

China also signaled interest in establishing a formal communication mechanism between its Communist Party and Taiwan’s opposition Kuomintang, bypassing Taiwan’s current government altogether. Additional incentives include allowing Taiwanese television content to air in China and reducing regulatory barriers for Taiwanese businesses seeking to export goods to the mainland.

However, the offers come with a clear condition: alignment with Beijing’s stance opposing Taiwanese independence. Taiwan’s government obviously pushed back, warning that the incentives are politically motivated and designed to influence public opinion while undermining their sovereignty. Officials described the package as “manipulative” and stressed that any Chinese engagement must be conducted through official government channels, not political parties.

This also comes amid ongoing military pressure from China, which continues to carry out frequent drills near Taiwan and refuses to engage directly with Taiwan’s current president, who they call a separatist.